A number of previous inventions have addressed the problem of providing protection for only a tie.
In Camphous U.S. Pat. No. 4,716,595; the use of a pair of elongated flat sheet members having a shape substantially corresponding to the shape of a necktie bonded along a lateral side into which a necktie can be inserted with a pressure sensitive adhesive to hold the protector in place is taught.
In Gerrick U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,273 a necktie protector comprising a flat flexible plastic envelope having two identical elongate flat plastic faces joined at the long edges and not joined at the short edges with flat plastic tabs extending centrally from two adjacent unjoined edges to hold the protector in place is taught. These tabs provide a precarious purchase under the tie knot and relies on the pressure exerted by the knot to achieve even this purchase. The relatively narrow width of the tabs versus the width of the tie protector is essentially a poor design approach for the attachment means and fails completely if no tie is present.
In Taylor U.S. Pat. No. 3,833,937 an attachable protective napkin is used made of laminated absorbent and waterproof paper or plastic sheeting with a triangular shaped end which is sized to tuck about the tie and under the collar to hold the napkin in place.
In Miller U.S. Pat. No. 3,763,496 a neck-tie bar which clips onto a necktie with a roller having a flexible screen which can be unrolled to cover a necktie during eating or drinking is taught.
In Vorbau U.S. Pat. No. 3,714,669 a tie shield shaped in the general outline of a tie and knot uses a pressure-sensitive adhesive on the back to attach the shield to a wearer's collar.
In Retzkin U.S. Pat. No. 3,678,138 a tie bib which has convergent sides and generally resembles the shape of a sides and generally resembles the shape of a four-in-hand tie is constituted of a front panel with rearward folding flaps which form a sheath when they are folded back against the tie by means of the front panel. The force exerted by the folded flaps and the convergent edges of both the bib and the tie, keeps the two in proper relative position with respect to each other.
In Bixby U.S. Pat. No. 3,085,247 a combined tie clip and necktie protector is taught. The protector is wrapped about a roller and has an upper and a lower portion which are deployed from the roller. The upper portion has a hook which grips the knot of the tie while the lower end is held downward by a binding bar.
In Katz U.S. Pat. No. 2,747,192 a neck-tie protector uses a thin sheet of flexible plastic and having the general shape of the front lower portion of a necktie below the knot with a lower portion forming a pocket to hold the tie. The protector is secured by a bendable member which is long enough to be bent around the knot of the tie.
In Clark U.S. Pat. No. 2,423,581 a bib formed of a long single sheet of material having folds about a long dimension to partially enclose a tie and a bend about a short side which engages a strip which extends outwardly to permit the end being hooked around the knot of a necktie or over a collar to secure the bib in place is taught.